Recently, President Thabo Mbeki said South Africans should learn to live with the influx of illegal foreigners into our country.
Recently, President Thabo Mbeki said South Africans should learn to live with the influx of illegal foreigners into our country.
One can understand where he is coming from, given the level of instability in most African countries caused by civil unrest and wars, corrupt governments, rebels and other human rights violations.
Mbeki, therefore, needs to find a way to deal with this situation or be declared unfit to run South Africa. Mbeki must not appear as someone who does not know how to protect his own country and people.
I must add that not all foreigners are refugees and criminals, but the number of militarily-trained foreigners involvedin crime is scary. Also, the levels of violent crime in South Africa, which in many cases involve foreigners, is cause for concern.
Most Africans who seek refuge in South Africa might have been involved in civil wars, either as child soldiers and or rebels. Some might also have committed the most heinous of crimes. That is why it is very important to know as much as possible about everyone entering our country.
This will enable us to avoid harbouring serial murderers, rapists, hijackers, fraudsters, thieves and the most wanted criminals. To be efficient at this, we need to strengthen police capacity at our borders.
Phillimon Mnisi, Johannesburg
Strengthen border capacity
Recently, President Thabo Mbeki said South Africans should learn to live with the influx of illegal foreigners into our country.
Recently, President Thabo Mbeki said South Africans should learn to live with the influx of illegal foreigners into our country.
One can understand where he is coming from, given the level of instability in most African countries caused by civil unrest and wars, corrupt governments, rebels and other human rights violations.
Mbeki, therefore, needs to find a way to deal with this situation or be declared unfit to run South Africa. Mbeki must not appear as someone who does not know how to protect his own country and people.
I must add that not all foreigners are refugees and criminals, but the number of militarily-trained foreigners involvedin crime is scary. Also, the levels of violent crime in South Africa, which in many cases involve foreigners, is cause for concern.
Most Africans who seek refuge in South Africa might have been involved in civil wars, either as child soldiers and or rebels. Some might also have committed the most heinous of crimes. That is why it is very important to know as much as possible about everyone entering our country.
This will enable us to avoid harbouring serial murderers, rapists, hijackers, fraudsters, thieves and the most wanted criminals. To be efficient at this, we need to strengthen police capacity at our borders.
Phillimon Mnisi, Johannesburg